1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to ceiling fans, and more particularly, to ceiling fans having an up-light and an improved blade holding system.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Electric ceiling fans are commonly used to provide improved circulation in a room and assist heating and air conditioning systems. Known ceiling fans generally consist of an electric motor suspended by a shaft or down rod from a ceiling. Other ceiling fan styles are mounted such that there is little or no clearance between the top of the motor and the ceiling. These ceiling fans are known as "snugger" or "zero-clearance" fans, and are used where floor to ceiling clearance is too small for suspending the fan motor with a down rod. The motor includes a stationary portion (the stator) and a rotating portion (the rotor). A decorative housing surrounds the motor, with an opening provided in the lower portion of the housing to allow a plurality of blades to be mounted to the rotating portion. Conventional ceiling fans typically incorporate one or more electrical switches encased within a switch housing beneath the motor for controlling the speed and rotational direction of the blades.
Known ceiling fans often have light fixtures attached to the bottom portion of motor, below the blades. In many applications, the light fixture is mounted to the switch housing below the fan blades, with the light fixture lamps casting illumination in a downward fashion. In many applications, however, it is desirable to provide indirect lighting, such as casting light upwards toward the ceiling above the fan. Unfortunately, with conventional ceiling fans, it is often impossible to provide this type of indirect lighting.
For example, many conventional ceiling fans are constructed only to allow connecting a light fixture to the bottom of the motor or switch housing. There is no connection means provided at the top portion of the motor. Even with ceiling fans adapted to receive existing up-light fixtures, there typically is not sufficient clearance between the top of the motor and the ceiling from which the ceiling fan is suspended.
Adding a light fixture that extends well above the top of the fan motor will usually place the light fixture too close to the ceiling to provide adequate lighting.
Often, there is inadequate space between the floor and ceiling to extend the down rod to provide the additional clearance required for known up-light fixtures. Ceiling fan blades situated too far below the ceiling may cause a hazard to out-stretched arms or other items carried or placed above a person's head, for example. Moreover, even when indirect lighting, such as up-lighting, is desired, there may also be a need for the conventional down-lights associated with ceiling fans. This only adds to the clearance problem, as the increased ceiling clearance in combination with the up-light fixture, the ceiling fan itself, and the down-light fixture results in lighting that hangs too close to the floor.
Another shortcoming associated with known ceiling fans is the manner in which the fan blades are attached to the rotor. A prior art blade flange with a fan blade attached thereto is illustrated in FIG. 1. The blade flange 1 includes a first end 2 which is in an overlapping relationship with the fan blade 3. The blade 3 is screwed or bolted to the blade flange 1. A second end of the blade flange 1 is bolted to the lower surface of a rotating member, which is connected to the rotor. Connecting the blade 3 to the blade flange 1 in this manner often results in the fan blades being out of balance, causing the fan to sway or wobble.
Contributing to this problem is the manner in which the blade flange is attached to the rotating member. Since the decorative housing is required to hide the fan motor, the blades must connect to the rotating member bottom surface. As shown in the prior art blade flange 1 in FIG. 1, the second end 4 which is coupled to the rotating member is offset from the first end 2 connected to the fan blade 3. This allows the second end 4 to extend upwards within the decorative motor housing. Connecting the blade flanges to the bottom portion of the rotating member within the decorative motor housing can be a difficult task at best, and the stress of the blade on a conventional blade flange only adds to the balancing problem.
Thus, a need exists for an improved ceiling fan which includes an up-light feature which does not increase the required ceiling clearance. An improved blade holder for a ceiling fan is also needed to address the shortcomings of known blade flanges. The present invention addresses these and other shortcomings of the prior art.